5555 Replacement with Fingerprint Reader

[paulzazzarino]

Having heard that the 5555 is discontinued, anyone know why?

and what is the replacement with an FP reader?

[jnajera]

Yes it is gone(5555), and there is a FR replacement that looks kind of like a 2210. I forgot what the model number was but it is there.

[Pony99CA]

Having heard that the 5555 is discontinued, anyone know why?
There are two reasons, I think. First, it's time for new models. However, there won't be a follow-on to the 5550 because HP is discontinuing support for sleeves. See the "Brighthand: iPAQ Sleeves Officially Dead" thread (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28886) for details.

and what is the replacement with an FP reader?
The iPAQ Hx2700 is supposed to have a fingerprint reader, but it won't compare to the iPAQ 5550. See the "iPAQabilities Digs Up iPAQ Hx4700 Specs and Image" thread (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28074) for more information.

Steve

[Chris Spera]

Steve is right...

I am going to speculate a bit here. The biometric readers on the iPAQ 54/5500's was a bit flakey. The scanner itself I think was fine. It read everything that was swiped over it (after the drivers were corrected...). However, the software that inteperated the images was a bit on the unstable side. I had more luck with finger print reads using NiceStart's biometric software than with the software that came with my 5400. If memory serves, the 2700 series will use identical/ similar hardware as the 5000 series, but will hopefully have updated drivers and biometric software.

Having worked in the FDA regulated industry, I don't know many companies that would feel comfortable with PDA's in the enterprise (or even on individual desktops) without a more reliable biometric reader app. I know I'd feel a bit on the nekked side...

but that's just my 2 cents...

[paulzazzarino]

I spent a considerable amount of time evaluating the 5555 and the biometic API's (which HP removed general public access too, but thats another thread)

I found the more you enroll people the better the fetch hits were. But every once in a while you would hit someone was tougher to scan. This brings up all sorts of issues if you use this for time and attendance or access applications. Not only do you slow down peoples movement but you make them really mad!

Being Thermal was the other let down, if someone comes in from the cold and wants access sorry!

There was also a built in flaw that if you depressed one of the device buttons while swiping, the window focus was removed from the scanner and this reduced your scanning rate to zero.

but all and all it is a great step forward in bringing this kind of f(x) to devices and people want more. I still don't belive they discontinued the 5555

[Perk]

I can see why it's dead. the H5x/38xx chassis use to be the sleak "Star Trek" gizmo that your friends were blown away with. Now it's nearly the biggest one on the block.

Try the H22xx series. It's stronger, smaller and lighter and accepts CF & SD at the same time without a sleeve. Only drawback is batter life is a little less.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpdirect/shopping/scripts/product_detail/product_detail_view.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1312140491.1087845503@@@@&BV_EngineID=cceeadclkleflemcfngcfkmdfondfgg.0&landing=null&category=handhelds&subcat1=handhelds&product_code=FA159A%238ZP&catLevel=3
Mike

[paulzazzarino]

yes ufortunately the 2xxx series does not have buit-in wifi or the fp reader. I used the 5555 CF slot for the pocketsmart camera. This allowed me to develop an app to take a photo, a fingerprint and some other misc info and shoot the data to a server. You could then perform remote validations by fingerprint or keywords.

i still can't belive they discontinued it!

[that_kid]

The 22xx also don't have 128 megs of internal ram and an external microphone input. The 22xx are nice but they don't provide the same things that the 5555 did.

[Pony99CA]

Try the H22xx series. It's stronger, smaller and lighter and accepts CF & SD at the same time without a sleeve. Only drawback is batter life is a little less.
As Eric pointed out, the iPAQ 2200s don't have 128 MB memory, which is probably one of the biggest reasons people buy them. The external microphone support isn't as big a deal, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was for somebody.

Finally, the iPAQ 2200s won't take sleeves. Many see that as a good thing, of course, but it means you can't have a Pocket PC with three slots.

Also, what do you mean that the iPAQ 2200s are "stronger"?

Steve